are all pick-up trucks 4x4 nowadays?

You would be surprised at how many 4 X 4 are used here in Canada :-)


"Shoe Salesman" > wrote in message
...
>
> "mudmonkey" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Depending on where you live, and the general common hobbies of your
>> area you will see more 4x4's. In snow country, wherer i live 4x4 is so
>> common its hard to find a 2x4 on ther road at the moment. Many have a
>> newer 2x4 that they use in the summer and an old beater 4x4 that they
>> use in the winter. In california you may see many more 2x4's then 4
>> by's. Its all personal choice and preferance.
>
> You would be suprized how may 4X4s there are here in CA that will never be
> used....
>

The Nolalu Barn Owl
<&#103&#111&#114&#100&#105&#101&#64&#110&#111&#108 &#97&#108&#117&#46&#111&#110&#46&#99&#97>
wrote:

> On 21 Dec 2005 18:12:41 -0800, wrote:
>
>>I wonder if most of the newly built pick-up trucks (domestic or
>>imported) are made in four wheel drive?
>>I recall in the old days that during the winter, pick-up trucks usually
>>have problem with tractions, and they have to buy bags of sand to make
>>sure that the rear wheels are not spinning. What about the new trucks
>>and pick-ups? Are they now front wheel drive, all wheel drive, or 4
>>wheel drive? I hardly hear someone complaining that they have to load
>>their pick up truck with bags of sand any longer. Is this still the
>>practice during winter months?
> Just got a 2006 Silverado 2WD. Put 240 lb of sand bags in the bed but
> was driving it without on snow covered roads. Has a V6 so was not so
> powerful as to break traction without conscious effort on the gas
> pedal.
> I reasoned that the 4x4 with 3.73 diffs, larger tires and the extra
> weight couldn't get the same bang for the buck as the 2WD with 3.23
> diffs. The insurance company wants more for the 4WD too and it was 3
> grand more just to buy it. Maintenance costs more over the long run
> too.
Thats another myth too, there isn't really any more maintenance on a 4x4
unless you really like changing fluids.

wrote:

> I wonder if most of the newly built pick-up trucks (domestic or
> imported) are made in four wheel drive?
> I recall in the old days that during the winter, pick-up trucks usually
> have problem with tractions, and they have to buy bags of sand to make
> sure that the rear wheels are not spinning. What about the new trucks
> and pick-ups? Are they now front wheel drive, all wheel drive, or 4
> wheel drive? I hardly hear someone complaining that they have to load
> their pick up truck with bags of sand any longer. Is this still the
> practice during winter months?

I still put a few bags of "tube sand" in the back of my 4WD
and I really never get stuck, even when "out in the Meadows"
with quite a bit of snowfall on the ground.

But I think the real winter traction power are the snow tires.
I put Cooper Discoverers on a couple years ago and they've
been great!

Not certain what proportion of trucks sold in the US are 4WD
versus 2WD. I wouldn't be surprised if it is close to 50%.
Around here (western MA), seems almost all of the newer ones
are 4WD.

No front wheel drive pickups AFAIK (???).


SMH

I have a RWD old chevy (car tho) and I put bags in the truck to
control weight distribution. Even in the summer if you hammer it
on a loose surface, you could break traction. Nothing wrong with
fixing what the manufacturer got wrong.
....thehick

writes in article .com> dated 25 Dec 2005 04:43:40 -0800:
>I have a RWD old chevy (car tho) and I put bags in the truck to
>control weight distribution. Even in the summer if you hammer it
>on a loose surface, you could break traction. Nothing wrong with
>fixing what the manufacturer got wrong.

Except that you're increasing the total weight of the vehicle and therefore
reducing your city mileage.

Another "fix" I've heard of is to install the battery in the very back of
the vehicle. Other than the long cables, it's weight-neutral and really
helps shift the center of gravity to the back.

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.

I load concrete blocks in the back of my S-10 pickup truck and it goes
through snow better than a 4 wheel drive truck.



"Mike Levy" > wrote in message
...
> The use of sand in the bed isn't relegated to 4x2's. My dad and
> brother both have put sand tubes in the bed of their 4x4s. It helps
> keep the rear wheels planted, helps to get the tires down through the
> snow to pavement where they can get traction and keep from sliding
> out.
>
> On 21 Dec 2005 18:12:41 -0800, wrote:
>
>>I wonder if most of the newly built pick-up trucks (domestic or
>>imported) are made in four wheel drive?
>>I recall in the old days that during the winter, pick-up trucks usually
>>have problem with tractions, and they have to buy bags of sand to make
>>sure that the rear wheels are not spinning. What about the new trucks
>>and pick-ups? Are they now front wheel drive, all wheel drive, or 4
>>wheel drive? I hardly hear someone complaining that they have to load
>>their pick up truck with bags of sand any longer. Is this still the
>>practice during winter months?
>

Obviously Tom has never driven a 4 wheel drive truck!

"Tom Levigne" > wrote in message
nk.net...
>I load concrete blocks in the back of my S-10 pickup truck and it goes
>through snow better than a 4 wheel drive truck.
>
>
>
> "Mike Levy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> The use of sand in the bed isn't relegated to 4x2's. My dad and
>> brother both have put sand tubes in the bed of their 4x4s. It helps
>> keep the rear wheels planted, helps to get the tires down through the
>> snow to pavement where they can get traction and keep from sliding
>> out.
>>
>> On 21 Dec 2005 18:12:41 -0800, wrote:
>>
>>>I wonder if most of the newly built pick-up trucks (domestic or
>>>imported) are made in four wheel drive?
>>>I recall in the old days that during the winter, pick-up trucks usually
>>>have problem with tractions, and they have to buy bags of sand to make
>>>sure that the rear wheels are not spinning. What about the new trucks
>>>and pick-ups? Are they now front wheel drive, all wheel drive, or 4
>>>wheel drive? I hardly hear someone complaining that they have to load
>>>their pick up truck with bags of sand any longer. Is this still the
>>>practice during winter months?
>>
>
>

351CJ wrote:

> Obviously Tom has never driven a 4 wheel drive truck!
>
I've seen some people with a 4x4 and cheap tires get stuck where my little
2wd s10 would drive right through. A skilled driver in a 2wd can easily
match an unskilled driver in a 4x4.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
| I wonder if most of the newly built pick-up trucks (domestic or
| imported) are made in four wheel drive?
| I recall in the old days that during the winter, pick-up trucks usually
| have problem with tractions, and they have to buy bags of sand to make
| sure that the rear wheels are not spinning. What about the new trucks
| and pick-ups? Are they now front wheel drive, all wheel drive, or 4
| wheel drive? I hardly hear someone complaining that they have to load
| their pick up truck with bags of sand any longer. Is this still the
| practice during winter months?

I don't bother with sand anymore. I carry a shovel and fill the bed of
the truck up with snow. When I don't need it anymore, hey, it goes away on
its own!